Scared of using dental floss? Here's how to overcome it

Q. I’ve thought flossing but feel nervous about damaging my gums. What should I do?

It’s completely normal to feel apprehension when it comes to using dental floss, especially if you’ve never used it before.

If you bleed from your gums the first few times you use dental floss that’s quite common, too. This is because your gums will be quite tender at first and as you continue to floss as part of your daily oral hygiene routine, your gums will start to strengthen and the bleeding should stop.

You must ensure that your flossing techniques aren’t too aggressive because that increases the risk of harming your gums. Always try to be as gentle as you can, as the whole point of flossing is to get rid of the plaque that remains between the teeth.

The correct technique is to break off around 18 inches of floss – so you have enough clean floss to cover all of your teeth. Slide the floss between the gap in your teeth and carefully wrap it around each tooth as you clean, going back and forth – making your way around the rest of your mouth and working through the gaps. Once you reach the gums, make a C shape with floss

If you find flossing difficult then there are other products you can use to clean between your teeth. You can use dental picks or interdental brushes that also help to tackle the plaque build-up between the teeth. Although flossing is the most effective, getting into the habit of cleaning between your teeth will only improve your overall oral health.

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